DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

Vice Mayor Benzan, Councilor McGovern, and Councilor Cheung presented a Policy Order that will send the K2C2 studies to the Ordinance Committee to discuss. The order was passed unanimously. ABC supports the studies and it’s a welcome sign that the Council is finally doing something with the recommendations.
Cambridge Chronicle

The first of numerous roundtables with the City Council and the Planning Board to discuss citywide planning and how the process can be improved.
Cambridge Chronicle

Twining Properties and Normandy Real Estate presented a proposal to the City Council to raise the allowed heights in around the intersection of Mass Ave. and Main Street to develop the Quest Diagnostics properties into apartments and retail. The developers have already held two open houses to discuss the project and there will likely be additional opportunities for public engagement.
City of Cambridge (PDF)

The City of Cambridge has been working to reduce the number of drive-alone trips and promote walking, biking, taking transit, and carpooling since the 1990s. Carshare services, such as Zipcar and Enterprise Carshare, have become an important part of accomplishing these goals. The Cambridge Community Development Department is working with residents to explore ways to formalize carsharing in zoning regulations including conducting a survey.
City of Cambridge survey

UPCOMING EVENTS

The next A Better Cambridge general meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 14th at 7 pm at the YWCA board room. This will be a very important meeting to discuss strategy and initiatives in 2015.

The next roundtable to discuss citywide planning will take place on Monday, January 12th at 5:30 pm in the Sullivan Chamber. There is no public comment at the meeting.

The City Council Housing Committee will conduct a public hearing to receive an update on the incentive zoning study from the Community Development Department on Tuesday, January 13th at 5 pm in the Basement Conference Room of 831 Mass Ave.

On Thursday, January 22nd at 5:30 pm in the Sullivan Chamber, the Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on the Normandy/Twining zoning petition. The proposal is to amend Article 20.000 of the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map of the City of Cambridge by adding a new Section 20.800 entitled Mass and Main Residential Mixed Income Subdistrict within the Central Square Overlay District.

LINKS OF INTEREST

• Cambridge Chronicle Editorial: The Critical Need For Housing

• Five Parking Innovations Every City Should Adopt

• Blame America’s Housing Woes on Zoning Laws

• The Road to Lower Rents in Boston

DID YOU KNOW?

According to the U.S. Census the population of Cambridge was 120,740 in 1950. As of 2010 the city was still below that peak with 105,162 residents.